MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – A push is underway in Mobile to increase voter turnout in the Black community ahead of the upcoming primary election.

Community leaders say while Black residents make up more than half of the city’s population, their voices aren’t always reflected at the polls.

Standup Mobile works to close the gap between representation and participation, encouraging more Black voters in Mobile to make their voices heard. Despite making up 52% of Mobile’s population, their turnout at the polls remains lower than that of non-Black voters.

Connecting voting to community issues

“I think the biggest issue is the concern that ‘no matter what I do, nothing will happen,’” said Beverly Cooper, cofounder of Standup Mobile. “The general community doesn’t have an understanding about ‘if I vote… how and when I will see it.’ A lot of the work we’re doing is trying to connect the dots for them.”

Cooper said many voters feel disconnected from how local elections impact their daily lives.

“We found in the African American community when there’s a discussion about safety, they’re not talking about the police as much,” Cooper said. “They’re talking about sidewalks. Recreation. So understanding how we can connect those issues with voting for representatives that will ensure you have safety that you recognize.”

Obstacles at the polls

Organizers say one of the biggest challenges isn’t just getting people registered—it’s keeping them engaged after facing obstacles at the polls.

“We’ll hear ‘my vote doesn’t count’ or ‘when I show up to the polls there’s always a problem,’” Cooper said. “We found that if individuals show up to the polls to vote and find any resistance whether that’s for ID, once that person is turned away from the polls they don’t go back. That is one of the biggest issues.”

That concern became a reality during Mobile’s mayoral election in September—when more than 37,000 voters showed up to the polls only to discover their registration was inactive.

Mobile County Probate Judge Mark Erwin said that confusion often comes down to routine voter list maintenance.

“Under the Motor Voter Act an audit is done every 4 years, and part of that process may create a situation where a voter’s status goes from active to inactive because of that audit,” Erwin said. “And some of those people were not aware that their status was moved when they went to vote in the city election.”

Erwin said voters who may have been marked inactive can still regain active status—but the key is checking ahead of time.

With the deadline to register or update voter information set for May 4, organizers say now is the time to make sure voters are ready for Election Day. The primary election is set for May 19. Organizers encourage voters to check their registration status early to avoid any issues at the polls.